Queen of Hearts
by Lady Trickster
Summary: A royal princess is stolen from her cradle. Now, sixteen years later, a girl appears from our world on a quest to seek her parents and her destiny.
1. Prolouge

The Doi seer sighed and went back to the tiny hand that she was examining. She put down the baby and looked up with weariness in her eyes, "You have great children the hand of fate is upon them"

Their mother stopped her hurried pacing and went up to her, "What can you see?"

The seer replied, "The elder twin will be what you fought to become, she will lead her people well and succeed in all she puts her hand to. Do not neglect her education or sadness will come out of it." 

"And my other daughter?" The father of the two children asked.

"She will be as great, if not greater then her sister, a queen of Tortall, if she listens to her heart and does not let her fear cripple her. However her childhood will be dangerous and she will attacked from those who want you to fail. You will never see her as child for she will be taken away from you, either in death or another world where our gods are merely flights of fantasy. Lay protections on her and she will return."

The two parents looked at each other and the man went over to comfort his young wife. "Is there anything else we must know?" He asked.

The Doi shook her head, "No, I cannot help any more."

The man covered his eyes as a sing of respect and opened the door for her, "Thank you anyway," He closed it and turned to his wife, "What can we do?"

She lifted her chin and said as calmly as she could, "What we must, get some sort of protection for our second daughter. Something that no human mage can break or counter. And arrange for something to be done with Tortall, a marriage alliance. "

"Then we must call on a god, must we not?"

"I believe so, he owes me a favour or two."

That night a man completely cloaked in black snuck into the room and picked up the second baby. Silver fire engulfed him and he vanished only to appear in a busy highway outside a building. He placed the baby down and then turned and vanished.


	2. Chapter One

_Authors Note – Sorry I was supposed to put this in when I started but I forgot. And since this is my first story please forgive me. ___

**Disclaimer – I am not Tamora Pierce; I do not claim to be. Most of the characters are hers. If you see one that is off another fan fiction I am sorry I get confused who everyone owns. Fortunatly the two main characters are mine.**

Chapter One

Celina sighed and wrapped the sarong more tightly around her waist. Even lying on the beach in the middle of summer wasn't enough to calm her bad mood. Today was her sixteenth birthday, midsummer and she was again reminded of how utterly alone she was in the world. 

Found on the doorstep of the nunnery when she was just barely one year old, at midsummer she had no idea who or where her parents were, that is if they were still alive. The nuns were nice enough, if a bit stuffy but she didn't really have that many people her age and that sucked big time. 

She stared across the beach again devoid of people, most of them gone when the sun got high in the sky, when movement caught her eye. The beach rippled and suddenly a man appeared wearing the oddest clothes. He had on a wraparound green cloak and a sarong covered with charms that hurt her eyes when she tried to look at them closely. He wore rings on every finger and some on his toes, sticking out through leather sandals. His ears were ordained with a copper rings strung with many coloured beads. His face was partly covered with a salt and pepper beard and she could see incredibly ancient eyes sparkling with mischief.

Celina raised herself onto her elbows and looked at him as he approached her. "Hello," he said his voice crisp and clear, "My name is Kyprioth and you must be Celina."

Celina thought quickly trying to remember if she had seen him before and if she was late coming back to the nunnery. Standing up she asked, "I'm sorry I don't remember you," But as she said that she had the flash of an impression of this very same man, but bigger standing over her.

"You were very young," he replied, a offered his hand, "Now would you just come with me I will escort you home,"

Celina was now worried, "Is there something wrong with the nunnery, has someone been hurt?"

"Nunnery!" he laughed, "No I was referring to your real home," 

She stared at him, her real home! That might be where her parents were, she looked at his offered hand and took a deep breath, then took it. 

The world spun and she felt a queasiness in her stomach she shut her eyes and gripped Kyprioth's hand even harder. When the world settled she opened her eyes and gasped in shock at the changed settings. She was in a little alleyway that had cobblestone path and brick and mud houses surrounding her. She turned to Kyprioth and asked, "What… Where did the beach go?"

He smiled at her, "your real home, The Copper Isles." Then he frowned and sniffed the air, "Actually we're in Tortall, a little south of Corus. He sighed, "Well I'll just have to take you there, and get you settled."

"Tortall…Corus…Where are we?" She asked.

Kyprioth frowned at her, "I told you now let's go the Corus…" His voice faded away and his body jerked. He turned to her, "My siblings want to know what I am doing, you go on ahead and I will catch up. Go to Corus and…" He thought for a moment, "Join the Riders, they ought to keep you out of trouble for a while." He let go of her hand and disappeared.

Celina stared at the spot where she had last seen him and then repeated his instructions in shock, "Go to Corus, who or where is Corus! I've never heard of it! And the riders! Oh why did I ever listen to that man!" She shivered as a chilly wind blew in and wrapped both arms around her suddenly aware of how she was dressed. "Great," She muttered, "Go and walk there in my bikini and sarong unlikely, I'm going to sit here and just wait till he comes back and then demand that he take me back to the nunnery."

With that she plonked herself on the ground and waited.

It was not long before another man came up past her staggering as her held a tankard of something that smelt awful. Celina had had a glass of champagne at Christmas every year since she was twelve but hated the taste of alcohol. 

Obviously this man though otherwise.

He spotted her siting resting her back on the wall and squinted. "A drink for a pretty girly?" he slurred. 

"No thank you," Celina said in her snottiest voice not liking the way the man was eyeing her scantily clad form. 

"Oh don't be tho high and mighty," He said as he stumbled towards her. "I've got a gold piece if you chose to warm my bed."

She stood up and pushed away grasping hands. "Go away I am not a slt and certainly don't want to be treated like one."

He didn't say anything but caught her by surprise and pushed her up against the alley wall. Thinking to herself that this had gone far enough she drove her knee into his groin and was rewarded by a gasp of pain. Then to finish it off she pulled her fist back and punched him full in the face. 

He toppled backwards one hand clutching his groin and the other his nose – which was at this point spurting blood. "Stupid btch! Don't you know who I am, I am a important servant to the prince!" 

"I told you, I'm not a slut" She retorted smiling, adrenaline rushing through her veins.

But the stranger had more fight in him reaching up he grabbed the end of her sarong and pulled it off her, revelling tanned legs. Celina made a grab for it but missed and tripped on something lying on the ground. She fell forward pushing her hands out in front of her. They landed on the man's chest and he was thrown backwards. His head hit the pavement with a loud crack and he slumped.

"Oh, dear." Celina said, getting up. I hope he is not dead, nobody deserved to die, no matter how perverted they were. 

She reached down and felt for a pulse. Fortunately she could feel the blood pumping loud and clear through his veins. 

Rising she grabbed her sarong and looked at what she had tripped on. There was a pouch on the ground that clinked when she picked it up. Upon opening she found that it contained three gold coins and several silver and copper ones. Obviously some form of currency.

Looking back at the man lying sprawled on the ground she tied the ends of the purse to her sarong and started down the alley. 

She had decided to do what Kyprioth told her to do, but first she had to find some clothes.


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

After wandering around on cobblestone streets avoiding as many people as she could her feet were hurting and she was cold and wet from the small shower. Finally she found what she was looking for, a washing line.

Creeping closer she also noticed that it was guarded by a woman of about thirty. She was sitting down on a chair and snoring loudly. Celina untied her sarong and legged it over the fence landing on her feet with a thump. Holding her breath she sneaked a look at the woman. But there was no sign of life in her yet.

Walking over to the washing line she carefully pulled down a dirty-green shirt and then a pair of brown breeches. Then she undid the purse and checked at what money she would pay the woman. Having no knowledge of the coins in this land she settled for two gold pieces. One for each item of clothing. Laying the money near the sleeping woman's hand she made her way out of the yard. Just as she was near the gate Celina made on of the stupidest mistakes of her life - she tripped over a loose stone.

Since the woman was a heavy sleeper normally this wouldn't have woken her. If Celina hadn't of fallen onto the washing basket and knocked it over as well sending the whole lot to the ground in a heap with Celina on top, still holding the clothes that she had just taken off the line.

The woman woke up with a yell and lept forward, grabbing Celina's bikini with one hand wrenching her upright. "And what are you doing stealing my husband's clothes?"

"I paid!" Celina wailed, annoyed at herself.

"Oh did you now," The woman replied in a sarcastic voice, "And what are you wearing anyhow, are you a runaway from an inn or something?"

"No, I'm sorry please let me go."

"So you can just do it again to some unsuspecting person, I think not. You'll go to the Watch and they can deal with you."

All this while the woman was dragging Celina backwards through the yard into the house. She opened the door and threw Celina into a chair before dumping the clothes she had retrieved on a table. Then she stared her hard in the eye and said, "Well what do you have to say for yourself. I don't deny that you need some proper clothes but stealing them is wrong."

"I know," Celina said hanging her head. If she judged this woman right then pity would be her best ally in getting out of this on top. "I did leave some money." She continued.

The woman sniffed speciously. "Well let's go and see this 'money'."

She grabbed Celina by her elbow again and pulled her out. "Where is it?" Celina mutely pointed to the two, now seemingly very small gold coins.

There was a short period of silence as the woman stared at the two coins. "I'm sorry," Celina apologised again, "I know it is not much but I am not that rich."

The woman turned back to her so she could see the amazed expression on her face.

"I think you had better come with me, young lady."

Clara Feist was a kind woman with a husband Tom Feist and two daughters. She had a short dumpy figure and calloused hands from the bakery that she ran with the help of her husband. Both her daughters were grown up now and married, and once she had gotten over the shock of a half naked girl stealing her washing and paying her ten times as much as it was worth Celina found herself treated like one of her own daughters.

"So, if you don't mind me asking what brings you here?" Clara asked.

Celina thought quickly, "Well you see, my uncle and I were travelling here because…" She thought for a moment and was suddenly struck how stupid she had been. Just because she was lonely meant that she had gone off with a strange man who disappears suddenly just telling her to 'join the Riders' and nothing else. However Clara was staring at her and so she continued with her story. "Because I wanted to find my parents." She had better stick as closely to the truth as possible. "Then he decided to go on ahead and somehow I think the hotel… er…inn kicked me out and I didn't get time to pack my stuff, just grab a purse full of money."

Clara looked at her sceptically. "If you say so," she replied, "So where are you headed and when are you going to meet up with your uncle."

"At Corus," Celina said remembering the name, "I am going to join the Riders,"

"Really? My daughter wanted to but the dear Chris started courting her and she dropped that idea, they don't take you on if your married."

Celina seized the opportunity to ask, "Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly do the Riders do, I don't really know my uncle wasn't specific."

"Well, from what I have heard, you have to be able to read and write, healthy and not married. Then you spend about year learning what you need to know, archery, horse-riding, reading maps, sword fighting, learning skills and that kind of thing. Then you're assigned to different groups and you do whatever it is that Riders do."

Celina frowned, "That doesn't sound that hard, I thought you had to be someone special or something?"

Clara laughed, "One of my nephews is in the Riders, Emry, you might see him. Anyway, he said the hardest part of the Riders is not getting in, it's staying."

"Oh well thank you for the information, I believe that I will be well equipped now to deal with any problems now."

Clara laughed and put the dough in the oven, "Come on, since you insist on paying me far too much I may as well give you a proper dinner and a good nights sleep."

Celina stood up worried, she had not noticed the shadows lengthening, "No it's all right I will go to Corus now if you could point me in the right direction."

Clara looked at her, "You really have no idea do you, it takes about a day to get to Corus and so if you want to be there in time then you had better leave early in the morning, you can't make it there in the dark."

Celina looked down sheepishly, "oh well I don't really know that much."

"Come on give me one of those silver pieces and I'll get some things that you may need. Then you can help cut up some vegetables." Clara said.

Celina handed over the money and started sharpening the knife as she heard Clara go out the door.

Celina quickly hugged Clara one last time before heading off onto the road. Over the last day or so Clara and Celina had become good friends and she felt much more rested than she had since well, since she was swept into this madhouse, Celina thought with a grin.

Clara's husband was a tinker and travelled a lot so Celina felt sure that Clara had benefited from the company too.

As she walked down the long road that disappeared into the horizon Celina had a chance to think over what had occurred since coming here. So she was going to join the Riders, where apparently she would learn to use weapons and tracking, map reading and other skills. Celina was not quite sure what she felt about this but since she did not have anywhere else to go then it was the only option.

As she observed the grassy fields that held the crops of the new season she felt a cold breeze tickling her arms causing her to shiver. She pulled the thick woollen cloak closer and trudged on staring blankly, lose in her own thoughts, at the green forest in front of her.

A noise startled her and she turned to see two men on horses coming up behind her at a trot. As they came closer she heard the one voice that she longed to never hear again, "And then the bitch kicked me in the nuts and stole my purse…"

Celina hunched her shoulders and pulled the hood of her cloak up. She continued to walk as if they didn't exist. One of the men coming up behind her was the one that she had met in the alley and stole from, the last person in the world that she wanted to see again.

She heard them coming closer.

"In should haul her up before the courts and make her pay for beating me up." They must be talking about her, she felt satifaction at this.

"And tell me, did you do anything to provoke this attack, Kyle?" Finally the other man spoke, a deep rich sound.

"Nothing!" Kyle said, "She just attacked me out of nowhere, your highness, I didn't do anything!"

Celina felt a surge of anger at his statement but kept it under control even though she felt like she wanted to throttle him.

They were closer now almost alongside. She moved to the side to let them past.

The man with Kyle raised a hand at her and said cheerfully, "Good morning,"

She raised a hand of her own and muttered, "Morning," back at him , looking up at him into deep, sapphire eyes. She was startled, he was easily the most handsome man that she had ever seen, though she hadn't seen that many at the nunnery. He was heavily muscled with wavy black hair and a clean-shaven face, with the kind of eyes girls must have swooned over.

Wind ruffled his hair and tugged the hood of Celina's cloak out of her hands. Kyle, who was looking to see what had captivated his master gave shouted, "You!"

Celina and the man with sapphire eyes froze. They started at each other in shock and she found that her legs had turned to stone and her brain to mush. Kyle, however, was not frozen as the other two were; he drew his sword with a sickening sound.

This seemed to unfreeze Celina; she took off, legs churning, down the road. Kyle kicked his horse into action and went after her. Celina tried as hard as she could to push her legs faster. She once heared that a man could outrun a horse over a short distance, if so then she might escape. The forest – a hiding place – looked miles ahead.

"Prepare to die," Kyle shouted. He sounded close, Celina tried to urge more energy into her legs but it just didn't seem to come. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him raise his sword and with horror watched it come back down. She shut her eyes but did not stop running, she was going to…Silver fire flamed and surrounded her, forming an impenetrable barrier. The sword bounced off harmlessly and Kyle felt it ripped out of his hands by a tenicle of fire and cast it away. Then the fire flared up and scared his horse making it shy away.

Celina turned her eyes away from him and broke through the brush and plunged into safety, she had escaped! She dashed further and further into the forest. Pausing she put her hands on her knees and tried to regain her breath. She could hear voices and twigs breaking over to her left so she looked around for a good hiding place as they come closer. Spotting a leafy tree and scrambled up.

The man with sapphire eyes wanted to leave but Kyle was still angry at her and was all up for hunting her down. She prayed that he wouldn't win the argument. They stopped by her tree and she heard the man with sapphire eyes give the order, "Kyle! Stop this! I want to get to the palace by nightfall, we are leaving," The tone of his voice was such that Celina was not surprised when Kyle did exactly what he was told. He stomped off, presumably to where they left their horses.

The man with sapphire eyes paused and looked straight at her.

Celina stopped breathing as he, without taking his eyes off hers inclined his head and winked.


	4. Chapter Three

**Author's Note - hello my faithful readers! Sorry for takeing so long but my crazy french teacher decided to give us a extra speacial assignment! And plus my darling brother gave me the flu so i was sick in bed for half of this week! But enough excuses, here is chapter three! Hope you enjoy it!**

_Disclaimer - as much as i wish it didn't the settting and the few characters that i use are hers. If there is something that is in here that is part of your story it is not mine i am very sorry i get confused about who owns who. Read and enjoy!_

Chapter Three

Celina cautiously walked up to the Rider barracks and stopped at the edge of the field. She felt venerable, the safety of the forest was far back and she kept looking over her shoulder for Kyle and the man with sapphire eyes. They said they were going to the palace and the Rider barracks were very close.

It had taken all day to walk to Corus, including ducking off the road whenever people passed. Once she got there it was all she could do but fall into bed exhausted at a inn called, 'The King's Messenger'. After making a few inquires at where the Riders trained she had been shocked at how close to the palace it was, but decided to go on anyway.

So that was how she ended up wandering through deserted paddocks up to a cluster of buildings. Overhead she saw a flag fluttering in the wind, brilliant red with a rearing white horse. She arrived at one of the smaller wooden building and pushed open the door. A horsey smell emitted disclosing the purpose for it. She went inside and saw a woman with her back to her, grooming a grey horse.

"Hello," Celina said.

The woman jumped and turned so that Celina could see brown hair with grey strands though it and blue/grey eyes. "Goddess,' she said, "You gave me a fright. You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Celina blushed and looked down, "Sorry."

But the woman wasn't listening, she turned to the horse she was been grooming and said, "You could have warned me, Storm."

Celina frowned, puzzled, did she believe that the horse could _talk_ or something. But dismissed it as wishful thinking, horses couldn't talk or understand humans.

But as she was thinking this the horse, Storm, did something that was even stranger then the woman talking to it. It gave a whinny that sounded a lot like a snicker and butted her.

Then the woman said, "That's not very nice," To the horse as if replying. Then, remembering Celina she said, "Sorry, Storm was being rude, I'm Daine, may I help you?"

Celina smiled, she must be mad or something but seemed harmless enough. "I'm Celina and I want to join the Riders."

"Ah, it's training season again isn't it, here I'll get you started."

"Thanks, my uncle suggested it, but I don't really know what to do."

"Come with me." With this, Daine put the brush down and closed the stall. Then she lead Celina into the larger building and then down a corridor into chaos. The room was filled with men and women about her age or older, and they seemed to try to fill the entire building with noise as they talked, laughed and joked with each other.

"There you are, just go and grab a tray and some food and you'll be set. Formal training doesn't start till about a week so you can have some time to prepare. Bye" With that Daine was gone and Celina was left to face a roomful of strangers by herself.

Collecting her courage she did as Daine said, picked up a tray and stacked it with food. It was not what she was used to, no burger and fries. This was more like the brown bread and cheese with dried fruit that she had eaten at Clara house.

She picked an empty spot and sat down. Picking up a piece of bread she had just taken a bite when a tall boy with curly blond hair stood in front of her, also holding a tray.

"Mind if I sit here?' He asked.

Celina quickly tried to swallow her mouthful but it became stuck and she started choking, coughing she nodded at him. But her had already put his tray down and started pumping her on the back. She coughed the bread back up and this time swallowed it properly.

"You all right now," he asked a small grin on his face.

She nodded, wiping away tears that somehow came to her eyes. Her face was burning and she wished that the ground would swallow her up. Wonderful, she thought, fist two minutes and you're already making an _wonderful _impression on her peers. She tried to gather herself as she answered his question, "Yes," but the words came out as a croak. Clearing her throat she tried again, "Yes, thank you,"

He smiled at her and stuck out his hand, "Chris."

"Celina," she replied shaking it.

"So where you from," Chris asked starting on his meal. Grateful for the chance to have some normal conversation Celina told him roughly the same story she had spun for Clara, but left out that she looking for her parents.

He nodded when she had finished, "Yeah, I just got here too, my mother owns a dress shop and my father helps her, he's a tailor. My sisters are also going into the dressmaking business."

"Sounds like bit of a tradition – why'd you join the Riders?"

"Felt like it," he shrugged, "That and my foster parents are both warriors."

Celina opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by a booming roar of, "Righto, ladies! Lunchtimes up and now we're going to have some fun," The trainees groaned and Celina and Chris stared at each other confused.

A dark haired boy leaned in and said, "Sarge's idea of fun is doing laps around the campsite or fifty press-ups."

"Just be thankful that his leg can't take running with us." A thin weedy boy joined the conversation as they hurried outside.

"What happened to his leg?" Chris asked.

"Bandits, ages ago." One explained, "But though it might slow him down it sure doesn't shut him up." He concluded gloomily.

"Enough chitchat!" Sarge roared, closer to him than last time Celina winced as it blasted her ears. He was a big man, thick bands of muscle wrapped around his torso under dark brown shin. She could see he walked with a limp, favouring his left leg – this must be the injury that they were referring to. "Get a horse, saddle it and start t them out. Move it ladies!" The last part was directed at a group that was staring open mouthed at him.

They started towards the stables and Chris noticed Celina looking extremely worried.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Never been on a horse in my life," she confessed, unlike other girls she never went through that 'horse crazy' stage.

Chris patted her shoulder, "Well this is an excellent opportunity to learn." Rolling her eyes she entered that stable and looked around, already other trainees had started getting them ready. She went up to a chestnut mare and carefully opened the door. The horse looked at her. She looked back.

"Come on don't stare at her all day," Chris hissed.

"I told you I don't know how to ride," she whispered back.

He sighed, "Grab the saddle and put it on her," When she did so he continued, "Now pull the strap through the gap and… yep… tighten it…yep. You've got it!" he smiled at her before turning back to his own horse. She gripped the side of the stall and tried to still the giddy feeling that overcame her. Shaking her head to clear it she dismissed it as nothing.

Leading the horse out she blinked as she stepped into the sunshine.

Celina groaned as she made her way up the hill towards the Rider barracks. Chris trotted up behind her and stopped alongside, "Having fun?" She glared at him, having been on many horses he, unlike her was vaguely competent. "So remind me," he continued, enjoying her pain, "How many times did you fall off?"

She groaned again. Horses were fine when they walked, disconcerting when the trotted, terrifying when they cantered and when the galloped… she didn't want to think about it. It seemed that she was the worst ever, or at least it was according to Sarge.

Chris clapped her on the shoulder and said, "Don't worry you'll get better, and we have bathes next." He waved to her as they separated, Chris down a blue corridor while Celina went through a yellow one.

Opening a door she was immersed in steam and blushed as she saw girls stripping off and plunging into the hot baths naked. But her aching legs decided that she coud put aside her modesty.

Sitting down at dinner she stared tiredly at Chris shovelling food into his mouth. Picking up her fork she stabbed at the unidentifiable meat before her. Luckily everyone else seemed as tired as she was, well except for the trainers, she amended. Sarge looked as fresh as a daisy as he talked to the man that she found out was the commander, Evin and his second-in-command, Miri. They were chatting happily together. There were also another man and woman who according to the trainees were to teach them weapons and other, more academic skills.

When they had finished dinner Sarge stood up again and yelled, "Now my lambs we're going to be learning different plants' medicinal uses."

"Why do we need that?" a lazy voice remarked, "Isn't that what healers are for?"

"Opps," Chris breathed in her ears making her shiver, as the entire mess went silent. Sarge, instead of his normal booming voice said, almost sweetly, "Oh, and what will you do, Jack, when there are no healers around and your friend is about to die, you will wish you had listened to me then. Trainees, turn out!" the last was said at his usual pitch and they scrambled to obey.

"He's gone," Remarked the thin weedy boy whose name Celina remembered as Mick.

"But Sarge can't make him leave." Chris said confused.

Mick grinned ruthlessly, "No but he can make Jack's life hell until he quits. Now pay attention."

The three of them turned back to the instructor who was holding up a flower, "And this is foxglove, it can slow the heart down if a little is used…"

After lessons there was meditation, which Celina thought was useless, she fell asleep in it anyway. Then, finally they were allowed to sleep. Celina was shown a room with two other girls and dumped her pack under the bed before collapsing on top of it exhausted.

**Author's Note - This chapter i decided that i don't really like becuase nothing happens but i neaded a filler to introduce Chris (Who is important) and th Riders (Who are also important). I am sorry that it is not very interesting but i have great plans for the next one (I has some great symbols) and you get to find out who 'the man with sapphaire eyes' is! **

**Please Please please please please review, i love them and they make me write very very fast!**


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